Category: Johns Manville

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Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company and leading building products manufacturer, was honored as a 2018 “Partner of Choice” by David Weekley Homes, the nation’s largest privately-held residential homebuilder.

This is the sixth year that Johns Manville has been awarded this honor since 2011.

“We’re honored to be recognized by David Weekley Homes for our product quality and service, an effort our employees strive to deliver each day,” said Tommy Knappich, vice president and general manager of Building Insulation at Johns Manville. “We value our partnership with David Weekley Homes and look forward to continuing to work together to fulfill our shared goals and match the evolving needs of customers.”

David Weekley Homes launched the supplier evaluation system and “Partner of Choice” award in 2004 for its over 100 National Trading Partners across a range of industries with the goal of delivering the best possible service to homebuyers. The survey gauges customer feedback on supplier performance in the categories of product quality and service. Results of the unique evaluation system allow David Weekley Homes to analyze performance, provide specific feedback to suppliers and recognize performance, in turn helping the company achieve its goal of working in harmony to deliver solutions to customers.

“Our in-depth survey process helps us select the strongest companies to assist us in delivering an unequaled experience for our homebuyers, and Johns Manville has met that challenge head on,” said John Schiegg, director of supply chain services at David Weekley Homes. “Our goal is to deliver the best in design, choice and service to our customers, and our National Trading Partners play a vital role in helping us fulfill that goal with each and every homebuyer.”

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Johns Manville (JM), a global building and specialty products manufacturer and a Berkshire Hathaway Company, announced today a new Climate Pro® blowing wool production line will be built in McPherson, Kansas.

“Climate Pro insulation is a preferred solution for many contractors and distributors,” said Mary Rhinehart, President and CEO of Johns Manville. “The production expansion at our plant in McPherson will help us meet current and future market demand for blowing wool.”

JM will begin construction on the expansion project later this year, pending various governmental approvals, and anticipates the completion in early 2021. When complete, JM will employ more than 330 people in McPherson.

“Our central location in McPherson gives us easy access to many markets and positions Johns Manville to offer more of this premium product to our customers,” said Bob Wamboldt, President of JM’s Insulation Systems business.

Climate Pro® blow-in fiberglass insulation fills those hard-to-reach cavities and corners while offering more consistent coverage – resulting in a more comfortable, energy-efficient home. It offers a range of R-values and is quick for professionals to install.

“Johns Manville is proud to be part of this community and we are eager to add people to our team,” said Mindy Lanning, Plant Manager in McPherson. “We will be hiring operators, maintenance technicians and warehouse employees. As part of our team, employees enjoy the stability of an established company and a strong family-like environment. We offer competitive hourly rates and training opportunities to learn new roles and develop new skills.”

Local and state officials applauded JM’s decision to expand in McPherson:

“Advanced manufacturing is a staple of McPherson,” Kansas Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The community houses a significant number of innovative, progressive manufacturing companies pushing the envelope in their industry. It is clear that Johns Manville has chosen the right location for its expansion.”

“This project is an important step forward in the McPherson manufacturing market. Johns Manville is an important corporate citizen in our community,” said McPherson Mayor Tom Brown.

“What an exciting win for McPherson, Kansas! We are grateful to our partners at the Kansas Department of Commerce for coming along side us to get this deal done. We are honored to have JM continue to invest and grow in our community,” said Kasi Morales, Executive Director of the McPherson Industrial Development Company.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Johns Manville, a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building and specialty products has announced John Vasuta is the new President of the company’s Engineered Products business.

“John is an accomplished leader and a welcome addition to JM’s leadership team,” said Mary Rhinehart, JM’s President and CEO. “He brings to JM a proven track record of successfully growing businesses and global commercial leadership.”

Vasuta will lead a global business that manufactures premium-quality glass fiber nonwovens, polyester spunbonds and glass fibers for the building and construction industry, as well as for automotive, industrial and residential applications.

JM products cover an extensive range of applications such as waterproofing membranes, flooring, building and technical insulation, air and liquid filtration, energy storage, composites and gypsum boards. The business operates manufacturing plants in the United States, Germany, Slovakia and China.

“Johns Manville is built on a rich history and has a well-earned reputation as a global market leader,” Vasuta said. “I am excited to join the company and to lead the Engineered Products business.”

Vasuta most recently worked at Bridgestone Corp. as President and Managing Director, Firestone Building Products International as well as Global Senior Vice President, Firestone Building Products. He joined Bridgestone as Deputy General Counsel and later held a variety of executive-level jobs, including President of Bridgestone’s 250 commercial store division and VP of International Sales and Operations for building products.

Vasuta earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering, an MBA and a Juris Doctorate, all from the University of Akron, and he worked earlier in his career in private law practices and the semi-conductor industry.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Johns Manville, a leading global manufacturer of energy-efficient building products and engineered specialty materials and a Berkshire Hathaway company, announced today that it will release water-repellent, mandrel-wound, mineral wool industrial pipe insulation, MinWool-1200® Pipe, in February of 2019.

According to Jeff Semkowski, Industrial Portfolio Manager for Johns Manville, JM created this new product in response to growing demand for water-repellent materials in the industrial insulation market.

“The market is showing a decided preference for water resistance in insulation materials that are being specified, as an added defense mechanism to combat corrosion under insulation (CUI),” said Semkowski. He explained that the voice of the customer and the engineering community are crucial in helping JM ensure that they are delivering innovative, effective insulation materials for their customers.

“After releasing Thermo-1200™, the first water-resistant calcium silicate on the market, our customers indicated that they wanted a water-repellent mineral wool, so we responded to their needs with MinWool-1200 Pipe.”

MinWool-1200 Pipe insulation was designed to help mitigate the risk of water intrusion. It was tested in accordance with BS EN 13472, absorbing less than 1 kg/m2 of water during the absorption tests. BS EN 13472 is a British Standard test method that measures weight gain by partial immersion in water and in recent years, it has become increasingly more common in material specifications.

Jack Bittner, Senior Industrial Product Manager for Johns Manville, explained that MinWool-1200 Pipe insulation will continue to offer the same thermal performance and lightweight benefits as it always has, but now it will be water-repellent.

“MinWool-1200 Pipe insulation remains unchanged in its performance characteristics. It can still be used in applications with operating temperatures up to 1200°F, and it is still lightweight; the only difference is that MinWool-1200 Pipe now inhibits water intrusion,” he said.

MinWool-1200 Pipe will be available from Johns Manville’s Phenix City, AL facility beginning in February 2019.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Johns Manville, a global building and specialty products manufacturer, has announced it will make a significant investment toward expanding capacity at its Defiance, Ohio, manufacturing facility.

The expansion will allow Johns Manville to increase the production of its fiberglass pipe insulation products, Micro-Lok® HP and Micro-Lok® HP Ultra.

“We are investing in our mechanical insulation business to meet increasing customer demand for our market-leading fiberglass pipe insulations,” said Mary Rhinehart, President and CEO of Johns Manville. “Our decision to make this investment is an intentional step that positions JM to support our customers in a growing industry.”

JM will begin the capacity expansion project early this year and anticipates the completion of the first new production line in 2020.

“Thanks to the support of our customers, we have seen continued growth in this business since we rebuilt the Defiance pipe insulation plant in 2007,” said Bob Wamboldt, President of JM’s Insulation Systems business. “The growth is a result of market demand and, more importantly, demonstrates a distinct preference for JM’s pipe insulation, Micro-Lok HP and HP Ultra.”

Mike McCann, the mayor of Defiance, said the pipe expansion will benefit the city.

“We are excited that Johns Manville has continued to support our community by investing in its business here,” McCann said. “Naturally, JM’s presence is good for the local economy, and the positive influence JM has on the people and families who live in Defiance is incredibly valuable.”

Jim Swift, the Plant Manager in Defiance, will lead the expansion project.

“JM has been part of the Defiance community for more than 60 years,” Swift said. “We are excited to create more jobs as part of this expansion and to continue supporting community organizations. Our employees have done an excellent job in driving the success of our pipe insulation, and we will continue to focus on providing a consistently high-quality product for our customers.”

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Johns Manville has completed its TPO product line expansion project in Scottsboro, Ala., to manufacture 12-foot-wide TPO roofing sheets.

“We are proud of the performance with our TPO product line,” said Joe Smith, president of Roofing Systems at Johns Manville. “Our Scottsboro manufacturing facility plays a vital role in ensuring product availability for our North American customers. This second production line increases capacity and our ability to develop products to meet the needs of commercial roofing contractors and distributors.”

TPO is the fastest growing commercial roofing membrane in the U.S. Now, JM can offer 12-foot sheets and 6-foot sheets. The new production gives contractors working on commercial roofing projects more choices to meet their project needs.

“Our goal is always to offer best-in-class products to our customers and to meet their growing business needs,” said Jennifer Ford-Smith, director of sales for JM Roofing Systems. “The 12-foot-wide TPO is a product that many customers have wanted to buy from JM. We are delighted to add the wider sheet to our broad portfolio of roofing products.”

The expansion project to add a second production line will create more than 25 new jobs in Scottsboro. JM expects more jobs will be added in the coming years.

“This plant has been a dynamic part of the Scottsboro community since 2008,” said Jeff Maxson, group plant manager-single ply for JM Roofing Systems. “A larger workforce means we have more opportunity to participate in state and local community activities. We have long enjoyed supporting local food banks, the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life and other important organizations in the community.”

JM’s 12-foot-wide TPO product will be available in all thicknesses – 45, 60 and 80 mils. The new, wider product became available in early July and is at distribution facilities across the country including Scottsboro, Ala.; Rockdale, Ill.; Hazelton, Penn.; Grand Prairie, Texas; and Tracy, Calif.

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Johns Manville has been named “Supplier of the Year” for 2017 by Insulate America Inc., the nation’s largest insulation contractor association.

JM received this same honor in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017 for each previous year’s performance. Insulate America’s “Supplier of the Year” award recognizes companies for the overall value they provide to the organization through technical expertise, customer support and lead referrals.

“At a time marked by heightened competitive pressure, JM has demonstrated an unparalleled level of dedication and commitment to Insulate America. We are proud to recognize them yet again with this award,” said Insulate America President and CEO David Beam. “With their top-notch service and innovative product solutions, we appreciate the support they provide to help us meet our customers’ needs.”

Insulate America is a cooperative group of locally owned, independent insulation contractors who provide and install quality insulation and other building products for residential and commercial construction. It is the largest independent insulation contracting organization in the U.S. with over 200 locations across the nation. Representatives from each of the locations vote on the “Supplier of the Year” award.

“2018 marks our 18th year of doing business with Insulate America, and it has been a productive and highly rewarding partnership,” said Bob Wamboldt, president of JM Insulation Systems. “We are humbled by this recognition, and we look forward to a future with Insulate America that will be every bit as positive as the experience we’ve had over the past 17 years.”

© 2018 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.